Exact Answer: 6 Months
CDL permit stands for Commercial Driver’s Instruction Permit or Commercial Driver’s Permit. It is a step to achieving the Commercial Driver’s License or CDL, as the permit is required to take part in the training of the license.
A commercial Driver’s Permit is issued to let the person practice driving on the commercial vehicle. A commercial driving license is required for anyone who would want to have a job in the transportation industry which would regulate transportation trucks, cars, or buses on the roads and taking commercial products from one place to the other.
This would be issued by the local transport office and would require the person to clear a written as well as physical driving test.
How Long After CDL Permit Expires?
A Commercial Driver’s Instruction Permit is a pathway to obtaining a CDL. It is valid for only 6 months, after which the person would again have to attempt the written and physical exam and clear them to renew the permit.
Moreover, the permit could only be renewed up to 2 years from when it was first issued, otherwise, the person would have to start the process from scratch and apply for a new permit which would be a lot of time.
To obtain a Commercial Driver’s Instruction Permit, the person must be the age of 18 years or above, have a verified class D license, and pass the written and vision test. The class D license is for driving any non-commercial vehicle.
The instruction permit does not require the person to clear a driving test as it is needed in the main license exam.
There are various types of commercial licenses depending upon the type of goods being transported, namely Class A, B, and C licenses. Class A license is issued for driving any combination of commercial vehicle tractors, trailers, tank vehicles, etc.
Class B license allows the person to drive any single vehicle which is not heavier than ten thousand pounds. It includes trucks, passenger buses, dump trucks, segmented buses, etc.
Class C license is for driving vehicles that could either carry 16 passengers including the driver, or hazardous materials. It includes passenger vans, Hazmat vehicles, etc.
A Commercial driver’s license is issued only after the person gets the commercial driver’s permit.
| Type Of License | Vehicles Allowed |
| Class A | Tractors, Trailers, Tank Vehicles |
| Class B | Trucks, Passenger Buses, Dump Trucks |
| Class C | 16 Passenger Vans, Hazmat vehicles |
Why Does CDL Permit Expire After 6 Months?
The Commercial driver’s instruction permit is valid for only 6 months after which the person has to get it renewed and pass all the examination criteria again, which includes a written examination and vision test.
Moreover, the commercial driver’s permit can only be renewed until 2 years from the first date it was issued on. If the person wishes to renew their permit after a 2 years-period then they would have to apply for a new permit altogether.
The reason for the short amount of time the permit is valid for could be because the permit does not have the person go through a driving test, it takes up the written exam and vision test and gives the permit to a valid driver’s license for non-commercial vehicle.
The permit is necessary because it is the building block for getting a CDL. The commercial driver’s license would have the person take up a physical driving test in a commercial vehicle like a truck.
The commercial driver’s license is valid for 5 to 8 years, the period depends upon the state and their laws. The renewal for the license would also have a physical driving test which would ensure that the person is healthy enough to keep driving the vehicle. It could also include a vision test and medical certificate.
The commercial driver’s license should be renewed on time otherwise if the person gets caught driving with an expired license, they could lose their job and no longer be eligible for driving commercial vehicles.
Conclusion
The Commercial Driver’s Instruction Permit is a pathway to getting the commercial driver’s license that is needed to drive trucks in the transportation business.
The permit is acquired after passing a written exam and vision test and is valid for 6 months. After that, the permit must be renewed within 2 years or it would be invalid.
The commercial driver’s license is valid for 5 to 8 years depending on the country and its rules. It would be renewed with a vision test and medical examination to ensure that the person is healthy enough to keep driving the vehicle. If a person gets caught using an expired license, they could lose their job and not be eligible anymore to drive commercial vehicles.